Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;lydia&#34;

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Lydia’ characterized by its medium sized blooms with yellow ray florets and a yellow center, with prolific branching; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

CHRYSANTHEMUM PLANT NAMED ‘LYDIA’ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Lydia’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a decorative type flower, a natural flowering date late in autumn; blooming for a period of 5 weeks. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant; ‘Lydia’ is a seedling resulting from a crossing program, set up by a previous breeder, and which records are unknown to the inventor. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant by Mark Roland Boeder on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 2001. The first act of asexual production of ‘Lydia’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in 2001 and propagated further in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum (grown indoor) is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Chrysanthemum morifolium L. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown indoor in a greenhouse in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands; a complete analysis of the performance outdoor has not yet been made. After rooting, one cutting was planted in a container of 18 cm diameter in week 1 in 2006. Short-day treatment of 11L:13D started in week 5. Temperature of the greenhouse ranges from 18 to 22° C.; growth retardant alar was supplied at a dose of 1 g/l in week 8. The average height of the plants was 18 cm. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces medium sized blooms with yellow ray florets and a yellow center.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Lydia’ is “Cronus” (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,563). When “Cronus” and ‘Lydia’ are being compared the following difference is noticed: The difference of “Cronus” and ‘Lydia’ are (1) Natural season blooming date. (2) Flower type. And (3) Color ray florets. (1) Plants of “Cronus” flower in early autumn, while those of ‘Lydia’ in late autumn. (2) Plants of “Cronus” have double type flowerheads, while ‘Lydia’ flowers are of single type. (3) The ray florets of ‘Lydia’ are more pale yellow than those of “Cronus”.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Lydia’ as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 2001. TABLE 1 Botanical Description of chrysanthemum plant ‘Lydia’ (when grown indoor) Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.5 cm, height 0.3 cm Outside Color Green 143A Phyllaries 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Phyllaryies among disc-florets Not present Bloom Type Single Height 1 cm Size 4 cm Phyllary number 22 Phyllary color Green 138A Phyllary length and width 0.3 cm and 0.1 cm Peduncle length 2.5-3 cm Peduncle color Green N138C Number of blooms per branch Approx. 10 blooms per branch Performance on the plant 5 weeks Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate grey-brown 199A, 1½ mm in length. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slightly Color Center of the flower Immature Green-yellow 1B with a (disc florets) Yellow-green N144C dot Mature Yellow 13A Color of upper surface of Yellow 10A the ray-florets Color of the lower surface Yellow 10C of the ray-florets Tonality from Distance A garden mum with yellow flowers Color of the ray-florets Yellow 10B after aging of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and under side smooth Number 36-38 Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis of majority Straight Length of corolla tube 0.4 cm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 3 cm Ray-floret width 0.5 cm Ratio length/width High Shape of tip Rounded Disc florets Disc diameter 1.5 cm Distribution of disc florets Numerous, clearly visible in all stages Shape Tubular Color Yellow 11D at base Receptacle shape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen Present in disc florets only Stamen color Yellow-green 144A Pollen Present Pollen color Yellow 7A Styles Thin Style color Yellow 13A Style Length 0.3 cm Stigma color Yellow-green 144A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form Grown as a spray type potmum, mounded and round Growth habit Spherical shape Growth rate Vigorous Height 18 cm Width 30 cm Stem Color Green 138 A-B Stem Strength Medium Stem Brittleness Not brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Absent Internode length 0.5-1.5 cm Length of lateral branch From top to bottom 12 cm Lateral branch color Green 138B Lateral branch, attachment Medium strength Branching (average number Prolific with 10 breaks after of lateral branches) pinching Flowering response 7 weeks Foliage Leaf color Upper side Yellow-green 147A Lower side Green N138 Color midvein Upper side Yellow-green 147D Lower side Yellow-green 148D Size Small.; length 6 cm, width 3.5-4 cm Quantity (number per 15 lateral branch) Shape Ovate Texture upper side Glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Rounded Between Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Diverging Lateral Lobes Shape of Base Truncate Apex Mucronate Petiole length 1.5-2 cm Petiole color Yellow-green 147D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison variety Plant characteristic ‘Lydia’ ‘Cronus’ Natural season Late autumn Early autumn blooming date Flowerhead type Single Double Color ray-florets Yellow 10A Yellow 12A (grown indoor) 

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described and illustrated. 